


Running into You

by Carmenlire



Series: Flufftober [3]
Category: Shadowhunters (TV)
Genre: First Meetings, Fluff, M/M, Meet-Cute
Language: English
Status: Completed
Published: 2018-10-03
Updated: 2018-10-03
Packaged: 2019-07-24 17:28:25
Rating: Not Rated
Warnings: Creator Chose Not To Use Archive Warnings
Chapters: 1
Words: 1,180
Publisher: archiveofourown.org
Story URL: https://archiveofourown.org/works/16179800
Author URL: https://archiveofourown.org/users/Carmenlire/pseuds/Carmenlire
Summary: Every evening on his way home from work, a man passes Magnus. The city heat means that he’s shirtless, running down the street in a pair of shorts and little else. Tall, dark, and handsome indeed. He has unruly black hair and a face that looks carved from marble. Magnus only catches glimpses of him for seconds before the stranger is running past him.Magnus would never admit it, but it’s quickly turning into the highlight of his day, those brief snatches of time stealing his attention. The mystery man is hot, an intriguing puzzle that's become part of Magnus's day.





	Running into You

**Author's Note:**

> Prompt: Hot

For the hundredth time in as many days, Magnus thanks New York for being absolutely miserable in the summer. It might be hot enough to melt asphalt but there’s some recompense.

Every evening on his way home from work, a man passes Magnus. The city heat means that he’s shirtless, running down the street in a pair of shorts and little else. He must do more than run because he’s incredibly fit. More than that, though-- which is saying quite a lot because Magnus has always appreciated an attractive physique-- is the man’s face.

Tall, dark, and handsome indeed. He has unruly black hair and a face that looks carved from marble. Magnus only catches glimpses of him for seconds before the stranger is running past him, comfortable in a sea of people.

By the time Magnus makes it up to his loft and putters around, making dinner or settling down to grade papers, the man has returned. 

Magnus has taken to spending a few hours after work out on his balcony, the better to _by chance_ see the man return, gloriously sweaty and positively glowing. Magnus guesses the man lives close because on his way back, he slows down, often stopping altogether and wiping his brow with a forearm that does nothing but show off stupidly toned arms.

Magnus would never admit it, but it’s quickly turning into the highlight of his day, those brief snatches of time stealing his attention.

Talking to him isn’t out of the question but Magnus is enjoying this time _before_. Magnus Bane doesn’t pine but it’s a game, a mystery, now. A quick pick-me-up after a long day trying to teach college students more than how to tap a keg. It’s a routine of sorts, even if it is one sided, and Magnus is in no particular rush to move on to the next stage.

It’s a hot day in September. The leaves have just started to fall and the nights are coming sooner. This is the last burst of summer warmth before the east coast officially gives way to autumn and for Magnus, it can’t come soon enough. He’s ready for sweaters and scarves and not to feel like taking a dip in lava would be an improvement over the city’s heat wave.

Unfortunately, that means his mysterious runner will be covering up in a few weeks. Maybe Magnus will speak to him soon, get his number and see where that leads.

He’s on his phone, talking to Ragnor about the pains of grading papers by freshman who wouldn’t know what a motif was if it bit them on the ass, when he thinks that he hears someone shout. He ignores it, focused on his diatribe about the pains of being a professor, when he runs into something.

Or, rather, some _one_.

Magnus’s phone clatters to the ground and he doesn’t pay any attention to the tinny questions coming from Ragnor as he realizes what’s just happened.

He wanted to curse himself for not paying attention. Magnus prides himself on being an expert New Yorker and that means not getting distracted while on the phone. Especially when it’s rush hour and the streets are teeming with people who just want to get home from work. _Especially_ when it means that he makes an ass out of himself and probably ruins the brand new pants he bought from Valentino last week.

As he takes a breath, regaining a bit of his equilibrium, he opens his eyes. Christ, especially when he ran into the man he’s been thinking about all summer.

The man had managed to twist so that he was mostly on the ground, leaving Magnus to land on him.

“I did shout a warning,” the man says, smiling just a bit.

Magnus grimaces. “I was on the phone,” he replies apologetically.

There’s a beat or three of silence where the two of them just stare at each other before Magnus’s realizes that he’s still laying on top of the stranger. He hastily rises to his feet, grabbing his phone on the way, before extending a hand to help the other man up.

The stranger gladly takes it, though he puts barely any pressure on it as he stands up himself. 

He doesn’t let go. Neither does Magnus.

“Fancy running into you here,” the man says.

Magnus snaps out of whatever daze he’d been in, lost looking at the acres of exposed skin within reach. He was even more impressive up close and personal.

“Indeed. Running into you. What’s your name, darling?”

“Alec,” the man says, biting his lip. It’s not an action that betrays nervousness or shyness so much as enticement. Alec knows what he’s doing.

“Nice to meet you, Alec. I’m Magnus. I’m sorry I ruined your run.”

“Don’t be,” Alec says bluntly. “I’ve seen you a few times when I’m out and I was working up the courage to talk to you. This just expedited things.”

Magnus raises a brow, can’t keep his grin from taking over. “Oh? What a coincidence. I’ve had my eye on you for a while, Alec.”

Alec raises an imperious brow himself. With the bare edgings of a smirk, he asks, “And if I said the feeling was mutual?”

With a wolfish smile, Magnus takes a step closer, sweeping a thumb over Alec’s palm. “Then, I’d ask for your number and then ask if you were more of a cologne or flower type of guy.”

Tilting his head, Alec sends him a considering look before replying, “Flowers.” He takes out his phone and hands it over to Magnus. Magnus immediately gives Alec his phone and the two of them exchange numbers.

Returning their respective phones, Alec takes a small step back, grimacing. “Not that this hasn’t been the highlight of my day but I was almost done with my run and need to grab a shower and get ready for a family dinner. Is it okay if I call you later? Maybe we can go get a drink sometime,” Alec offers, looking pleased yet the tiniest bit hesitant, as if Magnus would ever say no.

“Sounds great, darling. I look forward to it.” Magnus throws a wink his way, sighs as he watches Alec turn away and start jogging down the block. He’s stunned yet delighted when Alec lopes up the few stairs to _his_ apartment building, quickly punching in his key code and disappearing through the front door.

“What are the chances,” Magnus murmurs as he starts down the half block to his apartment. He looks down at his phone while he’s walking, swiping to unlock it. He sees Alec’s contact information and can’t contain his smile. New York was awful in the summer but if it meant he ran into handsome men running shirtless through the city, then he couldn't complain. Not when he has such a good feeling about this.

For now, though, he bypasses the contact information page and calls Ragnor back. As soon as his friend answers, Magnus starts, “You are not going to believe what just happened to me. . .”

**Author's Note:**

> Catch me on tumblr @carmenlire!


End file.
